The Golden Room (ch2)

EALRY RELASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS! THANK YOU!

Wow! I'm so amazed and honored at the immense and positive amounts of reactions this story got in only its first chapter! Azure and I are so glad you like it! Please continue reading, reviewing, and reblogging the promo art!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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												Chapter 2. Planning

All the car ride home that afternoon, Weiss couldn't stop thinking about the girl she'd met in the music room.

Her name was Yang, and despite a few verbal mishaps in their brief moments of conversation, she'd seemed rather nice. But Weiss wasn't about to start expecting to see her again very often.

/She'll probably forget about coming to see me. And that's fine. If she visited me every day, it would be a distraction. I wouldn't be able to focus on my homework./

Therefore the next day, Weiss didn't allow a single thought of Yang to pass through her mind. She gave her full attention to her classes as per usual, never putting so much as a pencil out of place.

By the time the day was over, she'd more or less forgotten about Yang entirely.

The final bell rang, and the majority of students began rushing to their lockers, down the stairs, and to their buses. Most seniors tended to drive themselves to school, so they all headed for the parking lots. Only the people who had after-school activities stayed.

Well... those people and Weiss.

Her family could very easily afford a car for her, but she knew that her father pointedly decided to drive her to and from school himself so he could keep an eye on her. It was both a way of keeping her safe, and keeping her under control.

So she was sort of glad that he only came to pick her up after his work was finished, because few people ever saw her leaving or noticed that her father was still chauffeuring her around as though she were some spoiled brat.

After Weiss had gathered everything she'd need from her locker, she made the lonely trek down the staircases and arrived at the ground level. She headed straight for the music room, which was always left open. No one else ever came here after school, so for Weiss to be able to walk into the room as though it was her very own was comforting.

It was a large room with plenty of space. She didn't feel congested or pressured at all, unlike most rooms in her own house. Here, in the music room, she had her own space.

She took her usual chair – the one she sat in during actual music classes in the soprano section – and took out her various subjects' worth of homework to get started. Singing was a reward for herself only if she managed to finish her writing and reading assignments, but she made sure never to rush through them and sacrifice quality for the sake of recreation.

But today, she was blessed with a rather light load of work that only took her about an hour. After double-checking her planner to ensure she'd actually gotten everything done, she excitedly packed her things up, left her bag on her chair, and hurried over to the piano.

Many months ago, when she'd first decided to make singing her personal after-school activity, she'd asked the music teacher in advance if it would be all right for her to use the magnificent ebony piano as she pleased. He'd happily granted her the permission, knowing she was serious about her music, and her performance as a student.

For Weiss, sitting down at the bench and lifting up the cover to reveal those ivory keys provided a sensation like no other, one that never went away no matter how frequently she did this.

It was a small thrill, one that trickled through her like fingers gliding over those keys, making a tiny melody only she could hear. She loved knowing that she was being trusted with this space, this equipment, in a way that no other student was ever trusted. It made her feel responsible, proud, and important.

She always took care when she played, her body easily remembering all of the lessons she'd taken as a child. This was part of her homework as well, in a way, because her father would often ask her to play something new on their piano at home in order to demonstrate she hadn't been slacking in her studies of music.

But unlike some of her other work, Weiss never saw music as a chore.

She could hardly wait for the musical buildup to finish before she took a deep breath and started letting out her voice.

Her music filled the air, brushing off the white-painted brick walls in just the perfect way to have each annunciated syllable echo pleasantly back to reach her ears.

She got lost in her music, in the songs she never got to hear like this. It wasn't the same when she sang to herself in her bedroom or in the shower. Only here could she enjoy her own music to the fullest extent.

She sang every kind of song that matched the piano. Some were well-known, some were lullabies, and some she'd written herself in her younger years. She was skilled enough to close her eyes when she played and sang, but every once in a while made sure to glance at the clock to ensure she wouldn't run late and keep her father waiting.

But she had plenty of time today.

She played and sang through multiple songs, until her fingers started to hurt a bit and her lungs started to ache. When she'd finished her current piece, she let the last of the piano's tune fade away as she caught her breath, smiling.

It was then she decided it was time for a water break. She stood from the bench, intending to stretch her legs a bit during her small pause as she headed for her bag. But she hadn't even taken two steps when she heard an oddly familiar voice.

"Aw, come on. You don't have to stop just because I came in!"

Weiss half-yelped, half-gasped as she whirled around the face the doorway. Yang was there, looking exactly like she had yesterday, the white shirt of her uniform ruffled with her blazer tied around her skirt. She'd been leaning back against the wall until Weiss noticed her. Now, Yang approached her, wearing a frown.

"I'm sorry if my being here distracted you or something. I didn't mean to. Please don't stop on my account, Weiss."

But Weiss had no idea what she was talking about. Once the initial shock had worn off, she managed to find her voice again.

"W-What are you talking about? When did you get here? I had no idea!"

In contrast to how flustered Weiss was feeling, Yang seemed to be put at ease by her words.

"Oh, really? That's good! I thought I'd distracted you or bugged you somehow so you'd decided to stop. I'm glad that wasn't it."

"...No, it wasn't. But how long have you been here?" Weiss repeated.

Yang shrugged.

"Does it really matter? Long enough to enjoy your incredible music, that's how long! Though honestly, that could've been for just a second." A grin spread across her lips as she stopped walking just a few feet away from Weiss. "You really have an amazing voice. And I bet people tell you that aaall the time, but I just want you to know they're all being one-hundred percent truthful when they do."

Weiss bit her lip a little as she reached for her bag.

"Thank you..."

She pawed out her water bottle and unscrewed the cap before taking a few dainty sips from it. She was well-aware of the fact that Yang was admiring her like some mythical creature all the while, and it made Weiss stutter and nearly spill. She covered the incident with a cough and covered her mouth with her sleeve as she capped the bottle and put it down.

"Anyway... how did you get here so early? Don't you have... some kind of sports practice?"

"Oh, yeah! Well you did say I could come by and visit you here after school, right?"

"...I did." But I never thought you'd actually remember.

"Well, I really wanted to come see you again. So I told my coach I'd have to leave practice early from now on. It doesn't cut into anything important. It just means I have to get changed more quickly and not take my sweet time in the locker room."

Sheepishly, she indicated her messy clothes. "But he said it's fine! And so I hurried as quickly as I could to come here today! I know you're on a tight schedule so I made sure not to miss you!"

So many things in those few sentences stood out to Weiss.

First of all, there was the fact that Yang had even remembered about her declaration to come and see Weiss again at all, and that she'd actually done it.

Secondly, there was the fact that Yang would sacrifice a bit of her practice times to come and see her, when Yang clearly enjoyed volleyball very much.

And thirdly, there was the fact that Yang had remembered everything Weiss had told her about her own personal schedule and just how tight it was.

Yang had been thoughtful enough to consider Weiss' needs and had altered her own schedule in a way that wouldn't risk changing Weiss'.

To someone like Weiss, whom people rarely ever went out of their way for, this was all hitting her like a warm gust of wind. She could feel the smile curling on her lips, but she quickly looked away from Yang to hide it. She wasn't quite sure what to say, so she just said whatever came to her lips.

"That's... very kind of you. Thank you, Yang."

Her saying Yang's name so happily made the blonde girl even more ecstatic. Her grin only widened.

"Hey, no need to thank me! I said I'd come and see you again, so I'm just keeping my word!"

Weiss flashed a quick glance up at her soft lavender eyes.

"Thank you," she murmured again.

Yang couldn't help but feel there was something more behind those words. Weiss really meant them. But it wasn't the time nor place to ask about it. She simply kept on smiling.

"Oh, but if you've gotta leave now, then I'll head out, too. I don't want you to think you have to stay just because I'm here."

"Not at all," Weiss assured her. "My father won't be coming for another ten minutes or so. I've set an alarm on my phone to make sure. So then..." With a pause, she indicated the various empty chairs around them. "If you'd like, please have a seat. I can perform a few more pieces."

"Really?" Yang perked up like a puppy who'd been shown a treat. "Then it'll be my honor!"

She took a seat a few chairs away from Weiss' bag, shuffling her feet and twiddling her fingers in excitement. Yesterday, she'd only been able to hear Weiss from outside the room. But now, she'd be able to see her play as well.

Weiss strode back to the piano, admittedly a bit nervous. She'd never played for a private audience before. But something told her Yang wouldn't say a thing if Weiss were to mess something up.

So Weiss took her seat at the bench and began playing her next piece.

She could feel Yang's gaze on her back, but she didn't let that stop her from giving her all on this piece. She sang as she always sang, with passion and poise, letting her voice glide up and down the octaves.

She articulated every word with flawless accuracy and timing, breathed in all the right places, and never slipped up. Her fingers worked expertly across the keys, one foot tapping in time with the beat of the music. She almost forgot Yang was watching her and simply got immersed in her music, singing and playing without a care in the world.

And it was all too easy for Yang to get mesmerized all over again.

It was that time of the afternoon when the sunlight was just slanting through the windows, illuminating the entire room in an ethereal glow. Weiss sat at the center of it all, her silver hair streaked with highlights of gold, her pale skin shimmering with sunlight, her blue eyes sparkling with vivacity.

It was like watching a piece of heaven ascend for only a moment, painting the world in perfection and light as an angel sang a melody like no other.

Yang engraved the image into her heart, feeling tears well up behind her eyes. The words of the song were touching, and the overall emotion given off by the atmosphere had her pressing her palms to her mouth to stifle little sobs.

It was a moment that lasted a lifetime, and ended all too soon.

The last of the piano keys tinkled away as Weiss' final note hung suspended in the air, lingering like a dream she couldn't quite remember.

By the time silence fell once again, Yang was still struggling to wipe her face clean of tears. Weiss turned around to face her, drawing her hands into her lap coyly.

"...What did you think?"

She knew it wasn't wise to seek approval and judgement of her performance from a student who wasn't trained in the ways of music and voice. But she couldn't help but want to know what Yang had thought of it.

Weiss looked at her a little expectantly, and a little nervously. The blonde girl was fidgeting in her seat, just pulling her hands away from her face to bring them together instead.

"Wow..." she said, clapping. "Holy crap... Weiss, that was... I mean... I don't even know what to say... 'Incredible' isn't nearly enough..."

Weiss had heard all kinds of praises before, from all kinds of people. She'd heard things from long-winded discourses about the areas where she needed improvement, to more constructive critics talking about what she'd done well. She'd heard things from music teachers, private instructors, and sometimes even from her own father.

And yet, somehow, something as simple and sweet as the word "incredible" coming from a fellow student her own age meant more to her than any of those other things.

She couldn't help but smile and dip her head.

"Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

Yang swallowed.

"Yeah... say, um-"

But she was cut off by the sound of Weiss' alarm going off. The white-haired girl quickly hurried over to her bag and fished out her phone to silence it.

"Sorry. That means it's time for me to go."

She pulled the strap of her bag up onto her shoulder, then hurried back to the piano to pull the key cover down, making sure to leave the room as immaculate as when she'd entered it.

Yang watched her silently, her mouth hanging open slightly. She wanted to say more. She wanted to say so much more. But she'd run out of time.

Hastily, she stood, picking up her own school bag as she watched Weiss hurry about. Yang wouldn't be able to accept just letting her go without saying something more to her. So before Weiss could rush out the door, Yang called out to her.

"W-Wait!"

Weiss skidded to a halt and turned to her, eyes slightly anxious about potentially making her strict father way.

"What is it?"

Yang chewed on the inside of her cheek.

"Um... See you tomorrow?"

Time seemed to stop just for a second. Weiss forgot the sense of urgency pulsing in her chest for a moment and relaxed long enough to show Yang a smile. Her answer came out as effortlessly as any song.

"Of course."

And with that, she dashed out of the room and down the halls toward the school's exit doors, leaving behind a very giddy blonde girl.

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That was their routine from then on.

Yang would hurry to get out of her volleyball practices a little bit earlier than usual, and then she'd rush to the music room to be with Weiss.

There were some days when Weiss had too much homework to do, so Yang would only ever hear one song from her before she needed to leave.

But most of the time, Yang was able to sit in for at least three songs, and when she got lucky, it was sometimes up to four or five.

When Weiss wasn't singing and when Yang wasn't listening, they'd often just talk.

Weiss told Yang about her studies, and sometimes, bits and pieces about her personal life would slip out, too. But she felt comfortable enough around Yang where she soon found she didn't mind all that much.

She told her about her dedication to her work and hobbies, and how she'd found a passion for them in the first place. She told Yang about her older sister Winter, and in turn, Yang would tell her about herself as well.

For every time Weiss talked about Winter, Yang talked about Ruby.

For every time Weiss talked about her studies, Yang talked about going out with Blake and Ruby to have fun.

The contrast in their lifestyles was obvious, but they both had schedules that worked for them.

But that didn't stop Yang from inviting Weiss out of her comfort zone.

One afternoon in particular, after about two weeks of their after-school rendezvous, Yang was sure she'd probably bored Weiss to death talking about volleyball.

But no matter how much she gabbed on and on, Weiss never showed signs of getting tired of listening. She even seemed interested in the sport, it seemed.

She'd revealed that she'd played in gym class due to it being required, but she'd never really enjoyed doing it herself. But she thought she might like it better if she were to watch someone who was actually passionate about the sport.

She told Yang as much today, as they were sitting side by side in their chairs.

"I don't think I've been able to appreciate it myself. But I'm sure if I could watch you play, I'd see all the best aspects of it."

And Yang hadn't missed a beat.

"Then you should totally come by and watch me play sometime! Maybe come to one of my practices after school!"

She knew Weiss well enough by now to be able to anticipate her reaction even before she gave it.

"But..." Weiss recoiled, frowning. "You know I can't, Yang. I've got to come here and finish my homework, then practice music. I can't shirk my responsibilities or be late in meeting Father."

Yang nodded.

"I understand that. You know I do. Which is why I'm suggesting we tweak things a bit."

Weiss raised an eyebrow, partially-nervous but also partially-curious.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Glad you asked. Hear me out. Let's just wait for a day when you don't have a lot of homework to do. The work you do receive, just try to get it done early. Maybe if you have free time during your lunch hour or something? That way you'll have the afternoons after school free! And you don't have to practice music every day. Your dad doesn't ask you to play at home that often, right?"

Weiss thought for a moment.

"No. He only asks a few times a week."

"And you have tons of numbers up your sleeve that you can impress him with! You don't need to practice every single day after school, right?"

Again, Weiss considered the truth in her statement.

"I suppose..."

"See? Then you should definitely come by to see my volleyball practice sometime! I'd love to have ya!"

Weiss was silent for a long moment. She wasn't too sure about the idea of changing up her after-school schedule, especially if it meant she could risk upsetting her father somehow.

But Yang had made so many valid points.

If Weiss was smart about finishing her homework before it was time for her to be picked up, and if she made absolutely certain not to be late in getting to her father's car, she didn't see how there could be any harm in the idea.

She realized that Yang was anxiously waiting for some kind of response from her. Weiss looked her in the eyes, then let out a long sigh.

"Well... I suppose it couldn't hurt to come see you. Just once or twice."

She'd said it as though it was nothing spectacular, which it wasn't, at least in her book.

But Yang reacted as though Weiss had just told her the secret of the universe. She all but jumped right out of her chair, clapping excitedly as a gleam sparkled to life in her eyes.

"Really? You mean it? You'll come see me practice?"

Weiss waved for her to sit back down.

"Isn't that what I said, you oaf?" She said the term with endearment, and Yang chuckled.

"You're right, you're right. That is what you just said." The blonde sat back down, looking as giddy as a child who'd just gotten the birthday present they'd been wanting for months. "All right then. My practice hours are directly after school's over. We always meet in the gym. So you can come by any day that works best for you. If I don't see you there, then I'll just come to you here like always! Sound good?"

Weiss dipped her head.

"I think that's fair."

Yang laughed again.

"Great! Then I look forward to seein' ya!"

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A/N: They're already beginning to get closer! How will Weiss react to changing up her schedule and taking another step out of her comfort zone?